Ornamental fender skirt



Dec.- 13, 1938. G.- A. LYON 2,139,901.

' ORNAMENTAL FENDER SKIRT Filed Oct. 7, 1936 2 sheets-sheet 1 @2305 .44 85.97 .ZYOM .5 Mia Dec. 13, 1938. G. A. LYON ORNAMENTAL FENDER SKIRT Filed Oct. 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FE UP roeca d1 sneer .[rozv Patented Dec. 13, 1938 2,13 9,901

ORNAMENTAL FENDER SKIRT George Albert Lyon, Allenhurst, N. J assignor to Lyon Incorporated, Detroit, Mich, a corpcration of Delaware Application October '7, 1936, Serial No. 104,377

10 Claims. (Cl. 280153) This invention relates to ornamental fender cross section, of a vehicle fender and an ornaskirts, and more particularly to fender skirts of mental fender skirt of the type illustrated in the type having a fender engaging edge which is Figure 1, as viewed from the interior of the adapted to extend beneath the underturned openautomobile body looking outwardly;

ing defining edge of a vehicle fender to engage Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view illus- 5 the under or inner side only of the fender. trating the novel fender engaging means car- In designing ornamental fender skirts or ried on the ornamental fender skirt of Figure 1; shields of the type which are adapted to cover and or partially cover the usual wheel access opening Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional View of in a vehicle fender, it is important that the aportion of the fender skirt and the vehicle fend- 10 means which is employed to secure the fender er taken longitudinally through the fender enskirt in desired position be simple and quick to gaging means illustrated in Figure 3. operate both in assembling the fender skirt on In the preferred embodiment of this invention the vehicle fender and in removing it therefrom. shown in the drawings, an ornamental fender It must also possess the desired degree of ruggedskirt ID, of the type which is adapted to conceal 15 ness when in use and be substantially free from a substantial portion of tire H of vehicle wheel vibration and noise. As the term fender skirt i2, is illustrated as being mounted on a vehicle shall hereinafter be employed, it designates any fender I3 of an automobile l4. Although fender member which is adapted to be secured to a H may assume many different shapes without defender for the purpose of covering or partially parting from the spirit and scope of this inven- 20 covering that opening therein which is provided tion, it is illustrated as being of the usual high for access to and removal of a vehicle Wheel. crown type having underturned edges I5, Hi

It is an object of this invention to provide a and I1. As will hereinafter be explained, adnovel ornamental fender skirt which possesses vantage is taken of underturned edge IE to supthe above highly desirable characteristics. port and secure fender skirt It in desired posi- 25 It is a further object of this invention to protion on vehicle fender l3. vide an improved fender skirt which is economical A better understanding of this invention may to manufacture and which is rugged and reliable be had from a close inspection of Figures 3 and 4 in use. of the drawings. The outer fender engaging edge It is a still further object of this invention to It of fender skirt I0 is curled to form an axially 30 provide a novel, ornamental fender skirt having a outwardly opening channel iii, the outer edge of fender engaging edge which engages only the unchannel it being bent radially outwardly to form der or inner side of a vehicle fender. a lip 28 thereby to increase the general rigidity Another object of this invention is to provide of fender skirt ii]. Channel 59 is shaped to an ornamental fender skirt having novel means snugly fit the underturned edge E5 of fender H. 35 thereon for securing the fender skirt in desired The inner marginal edge 2! of fender skirt [0 position on a vehicle fender. may be given any configuration which is pleasing Another and further object of this invention to the eye and which will enhance the general is to provide a novel, ornamental fender skirt appearance of automobile It as a whole. As ilhaving novel means thereon for increasing the lustrated, inner marginal edge 2! of fender skirt 40 rigidity of the fender skirt. it is curled inwardly as at 22 to form a bead.

The novel features which I believe to be char- Bead 22 not only adds to the general appearance acteristic of my invention are set forth with parbut also acts to give greater rigidity to the fender ticularity in the appended claims. My invenskirt as a whole.

tion itself, however, both as to its organization In order to restrain lateral displacement of and manner of construction, together with furfender skirt iii after it is moved into position on ther objects and advantages thereof, may best fender i3, a plurality of resilient securing membe understood by reference to the following debers 23 are fastened to the outer wall 24 of chanscription taken in connection with the accomnel portion l9 by rivets 25, or in any other suit- 0 panying drawings, in which: able manner. Resilient members 23 are pref- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the rear erably formed of spring steel and extend. longipart of an automobile having the usual form of tudinally outwardly from rivets 25 to form arms vehicle fender and one embodiment of my novel, 25 and 21. The outer ends of arms 26 and 21 are ornamental fender skirt mounted thereon; bent inwardly forming tongues 28 and 29 respec- 5 Figure 2 is a side elevational View, partly in tively which extend through complementary apertures 38 and ti in wall 24 of channel portion 19. As will be understood from the drawings, tongues 28 and 29 are adapted to extend into the channel formed by underturned edge 16, thereby to restrain lateral displacement of fender skirt i6. By rounding the ends of tongues 28 and 29 as at 32, the tongues will be cammed over the rear edge of the channel formed by underturned edge it as the fender skirt It is moved axially outwardly into engagement with fender ll.

Inasmuch as the lower ends 33 and 34 of fender skirt 80 are apt to vibrate when the automobile Id is traveling over rough roads, it has sometimes been found desirable to further increase the rigidity of fender skirt it! by securing a substantially rigid bar 35 across the base of fender skirt l0. Bar 35 may be secured to ends 33 and 34 of fender skirt it in any suitable manner such as by welding, brazing, or riveting.

To assemble ornamental fender skirt I on fender it, it is simply necessary to grasp the fender skirt It by its inner marginal edge 2! and first raise it upwardly between wheel I2 and the outer wall i3, and then move it axially outwardly causing channel portion l9 to seat itself over underturned edge it of fender I3. As channel portion l9 passes over edge I6, tongues 28 and 29 are cammed over the rear edge of the channel formed by the underturned edge I6 into skirt retaining engagement with the latter. The inherent resiliency of members 23 thereafter restrains further lateral displacement of fender skirt l0, and consequently fender skirt i0 is firmly secured to fender l3.

To dismount fender skirt Hi from fender I3, it is simply necessary to give the outer edge of fender skirt it a sharp push or shove. This causes tongues 28 and 29 of resilient member 23 to be cammed out of engagement with the channel formed by underturned edge [6 of fender l3. Fender skirt It may thereafter be readily removed from its association with the automobile.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have provided an extraordinarily simple means for securing an ornamental fender skirt to a vehicle fender. Although the ornamental fender skirt has been described as being of the type which only partially covers the wheel access opening-of a vehicle fender, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the fender skirt may be of the type which substantially or completely covers the wheel access opening of a vehicle fender without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Furthermore, although the vehicle fender has been illustrated as being of the high crown type, having underturned marginal edges, it is to be understood that the ornamental fender skirt may be employed with equal success with any type of fender hav ing underturned marginal edges or the like.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, as many modifications may be made and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, an ornamental fender skirt having a fender engaging edge adapted to engage only the inner side of a vehicle fender, and means on said skirt adapted to extend into detachable snap-on skirt securing engagement with the underturned marginal edge of a vehicle fender.

2. As an article of manufacture, an ornamental fender skirt having an axially outwardly opening channel portion adapted to engage the underturned marginal edge of a vehicle fender, and snap-on means on said skirt adapted to retain said skirt in desired position on said fender.

3. As an article of manufacture, an ornamental fender skirt having an axially outwardly opening channel portion adapted to engage the underturned marginal edge of a vehicle fender, and means on said skirt adapted to extend into snapon skirt retaining engagement with said underturned edge of said fender.

4. As an article of manufacture, an ornamental fender skirt having an axially outwardly opening channel portion adapted to engage the underturned marginal edge of a vehicle fender, and at least one resilient member on said skirt adapted to extend into skirt retaining engagement with said underturned edge of said fender.

5. As an article of manufacture, an ornamental fender skirt having an axially outwardly opening channel portion adapted to engage the underturned marginal edge of a vehicle fender, and at least one spring'clip of said skirt adapted to extend into skirt retaining engagement with said underturned edge of said fender.

6. As an article of manufacture, an ornamental fender skirt having a marginal edge portion shaped to curl about and overlap the curled underturned opening defining edge of a vehicle fender into skirt supporting engagement therewith, and means on said skirt adapted to restrain lateral displacement of said skirt when said skirt is in assembled position on said fender.

7. As an article of manufacture, an ornamental fender skirt having a marginal edge portion shaped to curl about and overlap the underturned opening-defining edge of a vehicle fender into skirt supporting engagement therewith, and at least one resilient member adapted to extend into the channel formed by said underturned opening defining edge to restrain lateral displacement of said skirt when said skirt is in assembled position on said fender.

8. As an article of manufacture, an ornamem tal fender skirt having a marginal edge portion shaped to curl about and overlap the curled underturned opening defining edge of a vehicle fender into skirt supporting engagement therewith, and means on said skirt adapted to make a detachable snap-on engagement with said underturned opening defining edge thereby to restrain lateral displacement of said skirt.

9. As an article of manufacture, an ornamental fender skirt shaped substantially to conceal only the upper half of a vehicle tire when assembled in the wheel access opening of a vehicle fender, the outer marginal edge of said skirt being shaped to curl about an underturned wheel opening defining edge of said fender, and detachable snap-on means on said skirt adapted to se cure said skirt to said fender.

10. As an article of manufacture, an ornamen- GEORGE ALBERT LYON. 

